A food tour of Bangkok

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Rob Ryan’s rundown of the beat eateries begins in Chinatown, with celebrated chef David Thomspon in tow

Why did my trip around Bangkok with David Thomspon start in Chinatown, rather than a Thai area?

Well, Thomspon is not just a Michelin-starred chef, he is also an archeologist of Thai cuisine, an Indiana Jones of the palate, delving into the distant origins of dishes and the evolution of Asian cooking methods.

Much of his knowledge derived from his habit of buying ancient cookbooks from the royal kitchens or 19th-century memorial volumes for high-ranking individuals, which often included the deceased’s favourite recipes. (When he first visited Bangkok, these were relatively cheap).